


It all started at the Green Fairy

by DorkWingsRise



Series: Realignment [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: AU, Aged-Up Character(s), Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:14:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25059097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DorkWingsRise/pseuds/DorkWingsRise
Summary: We begin with a drabble
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Kagami Tsurugi, Chloé Bourgeois/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: Realignment [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1814968
Comments: 16
Kudos: 59





	1. La Bise

And then there are those rare moments when time slows, when a fresh berry overpowers you with tartness, smell and scent; when harmony, rhythm and dynamics reach in to your chest and freeze your heart; when the setting sun departs in a flash of green. For Chloé, those moments seemed less rare now.She could almost count the days, the hours,before she would find herself again suspended in time,her breath caught in her throat, her heart screaming but stilled —a lifetime suspended between a smile and the warm brush of her cheek against that of Marinette Dupain-Cheng.


	2. The Green Fairy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloé and Marinette have a girl's night out as they Lycée careers come to an end.

“I’m so happy to see you, Chloé!”And like that, in a moment tinged with Vanille Gourmande Eau Gourmande, the the spell was broken.

“I don’t know what it is, but no one wears this scent the way that you do.”

“It took me a while to find it, but I really love it.”

“It took me a second to find you here tonight.I think part of me still expects to see the fresh-faced girl in pigtails instead of this elegant turn on Goth that no one but you could have designed.”

“Be honest.The first attempts weren’t so elegant.I think I was trying for ‘fuck off’ more than elegance at the time.”

Chloé laughed.“It was definitely a power move, but I never got that particular message.”

“No one who really knows me would have.I should tell you, the days of this look are numbered.I start on my project for Jagged next week, and I can’t do that dressed like this.I think my face wants a break from makeup anyway. So, yeah,back to denim and a fresher face and shorter hair.”

“Not your hair!”

“No?”

“No, you can’t cut all that amazing hair.It took you so long to grow it out.”

“I guess I could try a braid?It is going to be a hell of a braid, though.My mother will probably start teasing me about you pulling my pigtails again.”Marinette’s laugh was cut short as Chloé turned bright pink.“You don’t have any pigtail-pulling ideas in that head of yours, do you, Bourgeois?”

“Not as such.”

“No?Because I almost wonder if that is something that you think about from time to time.?

At that moment, an older server brought two Pontarlier glasses to the table, their bubbles filled with green liquid.A younger server followed at his heels with a carafe of water, and with great patience the older server poured the water in the glasses.

“Your first time here, my friends, I will show you how to bring out the all of the fairy’s secrets.”

And then with a bow the two servers left.

“I hope you don’t mind that I ordered for you, Chloé.”

Chloé smiled.“How can I mind when it seems that you made the perfect choice? This is rare, though.You don’t drink often.”

“Well, a little alcohol goes a very long way for me, but tonight is special.”

And it was special.A stellar absinthe and lovely conversation at the end of a very long week.

Marinette caught Chloé’s eyes quickly flicker down to her neckline and back.“It’s OK to look, Chloé.After all of the grief that I get from my mother ever since she cracked the code, you might as well enjoy the view.”

“Code?So I’m not imagining the extra décolletage?”

“Not for the last year, no.And the words you are looking for are ‘thank you, Marinette.’”

Chloé blushed.“Thank you, Marinette.”

“Thank you, too, Chloé.”

“Whatever for?”

“The lace confections you don’t quite hide under your jacket when we get together?Don’t think I don’t notice.”

“I wasn’t sure, to be honest.”

“Maybe it makes me shallow, Chloé, but I definitely have a type, and if you ever want to know what that type is, wear something pretty and look in your mirror.”

Chloé’s eyebrows shot up.“I thought your type was handsome guys with delicate souls?”

Marinette laughed.“God, where did that ever get me?Let’s see.There’s Nath, who I love but never even considered dating.There’s Adrien, who I never knew what to do with and practically threw in to the arms of Kagami.And there’s Luka.That was a disaster.”

“You’ve mentioned that disaster in passing but never really told me what happened.”

“It was so humiliating.”Marinette sighed.“So this was back when everyone dumped me for Lila.Adrien and Kagami had just gotten together, and Luka was very sweet to me.It was weird.He ticked off all of the items on my list, and I know he genuinely cared for me in a way that Adrien never did.”

“No one was going to get any energy back from Adrien back then.”

“Yeah.I figured that out eventually.Anyway, I sort of decided that I must like Luka since on paper it all looked perfect.”

“Oh no.”

“Yeah.Disaster.We slipped out of a party on the boat and went back to his room.Let’s just say that I’ve only had sex once and no one had a good time.”

“Not even Luka?”

“I wound up crying.Like right in the middle of it.And he really is a good guy, so that killed it for him.”

“And that’s when the penny dropped about your type?”

“You’d hope so, but no.That wasn’t until after school was out.I was going to sketch in the park but it was crazy hot, so I wound up drinking coffee at the Grand Paris.I don’t know if you remember, but you had this gold floral-print sun dress—“

“I remember.I only ever wore it once.I saw my reflection and the material was a lot thinner than I thought it was.”

Marinette smiled.“That was when the penny dropped.Naked with a perfect boy?Nothing.Literally zero sparks.Watching you walk across the lobby of the Grand Paris in that sundress? I swear, I was halfway there.”

Chloé smiled.“If I had known, I would have kept the sundress. 

Marinette smiled a lazy smile and sipped the last of her absinthe.

“So, Marinette, did you talk to talk to your parents about university?”

“I did and they get it.I have a brand and a significant client.They’d rather I went to University, but they are artisans and they understand the importance of saying ‘yes’ to opportunity.”

“This project for Jagged will pay?”

“It will.Well, it will pay on completion.I’m going to have to squeeze a bit and cut a few corners to get it done, but it will be a fantastic start.I get to design his stage and costuming for the next tour.It is an amazing opportunity.”

“I’ve been thinking over the past few weeks about ways to keep you from having to cut corners or skip meals.Maybe when we are somewhere more private we could talk about it?”

“Sure!I have something with me that I meant to give to you, and there are some things I’d meant to discuss with you as well, but not here.”

“Well, maybe we should get out of here?I actually have a place not far from here.”

“Wait, when did you become a Montmartre girl?”

“Starting at 17, my legacy started transferring to my control.The significant items transfer between now and when I turn 21.”

“So, you got an apartment?”

“Um, it is more of a building?Anyway, I need space from my family as you well know.So I’m setting up my office on the ground floor.The contractor is still working on that.But the second floor is where I’ll live and the restoration on that is finished.I wasn’t going to move in until next week, but everything is there.What do you think?”

“I think I really want to see your place!But I also think that maybe you and I should make this table one of our spots?”

“Absolutely.Hopefully a relatively secret spot.”

“Agreed.So let me go talk to the owner and thank him for taking such good care of us.Be right back!”

As Marinette crossed the room, Chloé couldn’t help but watch the slow sway of her hips.“We can only stan,” she whispered to herself, “we can only stan.


	3. Sunrise part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eyes that never shut are still somehow opened with the sun's rise.

Marinette held Chloé in her arms, kissing her forehead, stroking her elegant back, soothing her shuddering body down to earth. 

“It’s OK, Chloé, I’ve got you.”

All that Chloé could manage was to wrap her arms around Marinette and hold on tight.In time her heart stopped racing and her breathing quieted.“We have to stop, I think.I don’t know if I can survive any more of this.”

Marinette kissed Chloé’s cheek.“That’s fine.I’m starting to feel pretty tender.”

“I really don’t want this night to end,” Chloé whispered, “but the sky is starting to lighten.”

“Are you crying?What’s wrong, Chloé?”

“I’m fine.Just feeling a bit emotional.”

“Hey, talk to me.What’s going on?”

“I just don’t think I can go back to how things were.Waiting to hear your voice so I can start breathing again.Counting the hours until I’ll see you.It was hard but ok.But now I just can’t—“

“We aren’t going back, Chloé.How could we?I mean, even if we had just kissed it would have meant the world to me.”

“I guess I’m just afraid that I’m going to do something to scare you away.”

“No gonna happen, Bourgeois.Just tell me what you need, OK?”

Chloé bit her lower lip.“I don’t know?How much can I even hope for?”

“I don’t see why there is any limit on what you can have if you really want it.”

“What if what I really want is too much, too soon?”

“Chloé, I can already hear my parent teasing me about this, so let me run a thought by you:Do you think that maybe we’ve spent the past two years actually dating?”

“But we just hung out!”

“Yeah, but every lunch.And every Friday night.And most of Saturday and Sunday.And that is not counting studying together.Or all of the events that Jagged got me invited to that — no surprise — you were attending.”

“Could we date and not know it?”

“It would explain the looks that my parent keep shooting each other.And the snickering.I mean even if that isn’t exactly true, I think that we are in a place where we don’t need to worry about too fast.Look.If you were in charge of the world, what would you want?”

“To feel less tender and have a bit more energy?”

“Nu-uh.If nothing else, we should seriously hydrate before we continue.Now, answer the question for real.”

Chloé sighed.“I’ve known since I was twelve that you were the one for me.I was so angry.I had all of these plans.My parents had all of these plans.There was a chance that maybe for once I could do something right.But there you were with your perfectly kissable mouth.And once I got past being angry about it and we were friends, Ithought that anything more was impossible.But now?I’d find an officiant with an open slot next week.Unless you had your heart set on the opulent princess wedding.Whatever you want.Whatever it would take.”

“Oddly, I don’t really want the princess wedding.I thought that I was supposed to want that but I never really felt it.If I had one, I think that I’d want to wear a tuxedo anyway.”

“I’d definitely be in a tuxedo.”

Marinette nodded.“I’ve noticed that your business and formal look has trended more toward suits over the past few years.Very, very sexy suits.”

Chloé smiled.“I really only feel like presenting femme when I’m going to be seeing you.I mean, that feels most authentically me, but I really don’t want to give anyone access to that but you.”

“If we had never kissed, saying something like that would have gotten you— a lot.”

Chloé shrugged.“I’ve felt that way for a long time.”

Marinette looked thoughtful. “The bad news is that if we went with your plan, my parents would end me.”

“Oh.I had hoped they’d be OK with you and I getting together.”

“They would!They like you.They more than like you.And that isn’t even considering your early morning grump-fests with my grandfather.”

“They are not grump-fests,” Chloe replied tartly.“Your grandfather is a smart man who wants things done the right way.There is nothing wrong with that.”

“Total. Grump-fest.Anyway, my family loves you. And my parents’s generation started families young, so I don’t think they’d have a problem with that either.But barring dire circumstances, they’d want to be there when I got married.And they would want family there as well.Honestly, I want that too.So here’s the thing:You have my heart and you are going to have my heart.The rest is logistics, and we can sit down with my mother and sort out logistics if you are OK with waiting for the bit about champagne and cake.Does that work?”

“I’d wait forever for you.”

“Good thing you don’t have to wait for that.You’ve got me.” 

Chloé leaned in to Marinette and kissed her deeply.“It would work out even better if you’d move in here with me.I don’t know if you noticed last night, but half of the first floor is still free.”

“All I remember about the first floor is how good your legs looked in that skirt.And then somewhere between the bottom of the staircase and the top my plan to kiss you as soon as we got in your apartment— evolved.”

“Shhhh.My hands shake when I think about that.”

Marinette smirked.“On behalf of my knees, thank you for that kilim in your front hall, by the way.”

“Tell your knees they can have as much floor covering as they want.Anyway,”Chloé took a deep breath and shook out her hands, “my point was that if you want an atelier or office or both, there is space for you.I’ve got all the space I need down there for my office and study space already.And I know that you haven’t had a proper tour of this floor yet, but I converted a guest room to a closet.So there is a lot of room for your things.And, honestly, I don’t think I can sleep if you aren’t here with me.”

Marinette smiled. “I could live with you.Here or anywhere, really.It would beat sitting up half the night, staring at my phone and wondering if it was too late to call you.Is the atelier what you had in mind last night?”

“No, that is a grander plan.But maybe we can talk about that later?I think I need the world to slow down for at least an hour.”

“Well it can’t slow down quite yet, because I can’t put off what I meant to talk to you about.Especially if we are going to be together,we can honor our confidences but I don’t want us to have secrets.And do I have a secret.”


	4. Sunrise part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quiet discussion during which much is revealed. And a really lovely morning for Tikki!

Chloe looked down at the small box in her hands and then raised her eyes to Marinette.She squinted and cocked her head slightly, seeming to strain as if the world had fallen horrible out of focus.Marinette looked back at Chloe, concern furrowing her brow until the penny dropped.

“TIKKI!”

With a faint pop, the small red goddess appeared, hovering at the level of Marinette’s eyes.“Hi, Marinette!”

“Hi, Tikki.Um,I’m not sure what kind of magic you use to zang everyone’s brains so that they can’t figure out my identity, but could you unzang Chloe?”

Tikki leaned in toward Chloe.“Honestly, Marinette, you two have such a deep connection, I think she will burn through the magic on her own eventually.I’ve never seen anything quite like this!.”

“That is wonderful, Tikki, but please?”

Tikki giggled and gave Chloe a kiss on the cheek.“There you go, Marinette!”

“You broke the spell with a kiss?Isn’t that a bit too — I don’t know — played?”

“I broke the spell with a thought, Marinette.The kiss was because she is so pretty.”

Marinette bit off her retort to Tikki as Chloe slumped forward with a groan, her face in her hands.”

“Chloe?Babe?Are you OK?”

“Just give me a second.Something is shuffling my brain like it is a deck of cards.”

Marinette looked over at Tikki, who was turning a slow cartwheel in place as she hovered.

“What’s up with Tikki?Is she always like this?”

“I don’t know, Chloe.I’ve never seen her do this before.Are you feeling better?”

“Getting there.It is weird when your memories rewire.”

Tikki giggled and bent over at the waist, her cartwheel changing into a slowly accelerating summersault.“What are feet, anyway?”

“Um, what does Tikki usually eat?”

“Cookies.Do you think she needs food, Chloe?I mean, maybe?Usually, she just gets a bit sleepy when she is hungry.”

“I have a bad feeling.Tikki?Did you have some cookies this morning?”

“Mmmmmm.Cookies so good.”

“Tikki, where they ginger snaps by any chance.”

Tikki giggled.“Snaps!”

“Marinette, I am so sorry.”

“Why?Chloe, what is it?”

“Well, you know how I mentioned that I’m not on medication any longer? Once in a while, I still get anxiety attacks out of the blue that really shut me down.So I usually keep some edibles on hand.”

“Do they help?”

“Maybe?I mean, I usually make a pot of green tea and have a half cookie and sort of fall asleep for a while.I’m generally in a better frame of mind when I wake up.I don’t think the cookie is going to make Tikki sleep, though.I think she is just going to —“

“Spin.”

Chloe bit her lower lip.“Yeah.I mean, what happens if there is an attack?”

Marinette shrugged. “I’ve been pretty merry on champagne when there was an attack.The transformation burned that away.I’m guessing that the same would hold for Tikki.I’m sure it will be fine.”Marinette turned to address the tiny goddess.“Tikki, sweetie, would you like to go spin over by that nice soft couch in the living room?”

Tikkigiggled again and disappeared with a faint pop and a cloud of red confetti.Marinette let out a soft sight and looked at Chloe.“So, are we good?I feel like there is an entirely separate history between us when I have the suit on.”

“We’re fine.Honestly, now that my brain has had a chance to rewire, it seems like you were always obviously Ladybug.Just like Chat Noir is obviously—“Chloe put a hand to her mouth, her eyes wide.

“It’s OK, Chloe.I know how Chat is.”

“Does he know who you are?”

“Not so much, no.Not yet, at least.For a while I thought that Chat would be the first person I’d share that with, but then things got complicated.”

“Lila complicated?”

“Some of that.But, too, I didn’t want to drop a bomb on something fragile.”

“You thought you’d screw things up for Adrien and Kagami?”

Marinette nodded.“It has been so much work for them to learn how to be real with one another.I wasn’t going to risk shattering that.But, yeah, the Lila thing, too.He didn’t have my back, and I get it, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t hurt.”

Chloe pulled Marinette into her embrace.“I’ve got you.You know that, right?”

“I do, Chloe.It means the world.”

“So if you two didn’t share identities, how did you figure out who Chat is?”

“It came with the Guardian thing.Not immediately, but at some point, it became clear to me where a Miraculous is and who is using it.”

“So, you know who Hawkmoth is?”

“Nope.Have you ever listened to shortwave radio?Hawkmoth and Mayura come in like you are between stations on short wave.There is a hint of something there.Or several things.But nothing clear.The old Master said that the Peacock Miraculous was damaged, and that explains it.I’m sure it is the same for the Butterfly.It is frustrating for me, but it also has to be dangerous for them.A miraculous makes sure that we don’t get more power than we can handle. There is a good chance that those two troublemakers are being damaged every time they call on their powers.”

“What a mess.”

“It is.Tikki says that I’ll be powerful enough to identify them in a few years, despite the broken Miraculouses.But I don’t think we have time to wait.”

“Why not?”

“Because they are up to something.Something is different about Mayura.I may not be able topinpoint her, but I can feel that something has changed.And that would be bad enough on its own, but Mayura hasn’t been active for a long time.I’m worried that they are setting up some sort of trap or trick.Honestly, Hawkmoth doesn’t concern me much anymore.Even one on one, I think I could take him.But when they pool their powers, I am less sure.

“That is partly why I need you and Pollen active again.There is a catch, though.”

“I know, I know.When you ask for Pollen back, I need to return him to you.That is fine, Marinette.”

“Actually, no.I mean, as long as I am Master and you are willing, then you will be my Bee.But I do need you to be in stealth mode.Work with Pollen as much as you can, but it is very important that no one sees Queen Bee.In fact, I need you to be as visible as possible as yourself during Akuma attacks to reinforce Hawkmoth’s belief that he’s taken you off of the board.”

“So, how do I help if I can’t be out there fighting?”

“Oh, you’ll be fighting, but you have to pick your spot.If he is planning a surprise with Mayura, then you are my counter-gambit.I need you to get Duusu from Mayura. There will probably only be one good chance, so you’ll have to hold back until there is a clear shot.But I think that they’ll be so sure of their surprise that you will get a good opportunity early on.I hope so, at least.”

“Got it.So, like, solo operative, right?”

Marinette laughed.“I’m hoping that you’ll have help.Someone who can help you appear to be unpowered but who can also help you take down Mayura.I mean, assuming they sign on.”

“Who do you have in mind?”

“Let’s put it this way.If Adrien is a brother to you, then it is past time that you and his girlfriend became better friends.Much better friends.”


	5. Several weeks later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Early morning visitors bring early morning problems ( part 1 )

The motorcycle growled loudly before the engine cut out and the taller of the two riders hopped off the back, removing his helmet to reveal the touseled but still somehow perfect blond hair of Adrien Agreste.The driver secured the bike and joined him, removing her helmet to reveal the short, somehow un-touseled black hair of Kagami Tsurugi.

“I never imagined Chloe Bourgeois to be a Montmartre girl, Adrien.”

Adrien laughed.“I’m less and less sure about what type of girl Chloe is, but I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

Kagami wrapped her arms around Adrien’s waist and rose to her toes to kiss him.“Then, I don’t know what I’d do without her either. “

Adrien grinned broadly.“Come on, let’s see if she can work her magic for us.”

“Are you sure she is awake?0800 might not be too early for us, but it seems early for a visit.”

“Trust me.Chloe starts her day earlier that anyone I know.”

Hand in hand,the couple walked toward the front door, which opened to Adrien’s key card.

“This looks like offices?”

“Well, the rooms through the door on the right really are offices.They are Chloe’s command center.I’m not sure what she is doing with the rooms on the left.”They peered through the plastic sheeting.“Really hard to tell.I thought construction had finished, but I guess not.”

“Hey, you two!Come on up,” came a voice from the top of the stairs.”

They looked up to see a very Saturday morning version of Marinette Dupain-Cheng in an oversized black silk nightshirt,her long loose braid reaching past her waist .

Kagami brightened immediately.“Marinette!I didn’t think I’d be seeing you this morning!”

“Hi,Kagami!Come on, you two, get up here!Chloe is still at the dance studio,but she should be back soon.Make yourself comfortable, but mind the popcorn.”

“Popcorn?” Adrien and Kagami asked in unison.

Marinette sighed.“We’re trying to keep up on our English, so Friday nights are for cheesy BBC mysteries.”Marinette bit her lip.“Maybe not our finest hours?They do seem to grow on you, though.”

Kagami smirked the tiniest bit.“I cannot believe the words coming from your mouth right now.But, OK, fine,BBC mysteries.How does that translate to stray popcorn?”

“Well, we like to guess who the killer is.And it might be a tiny bit competitive.Anyway, Chloe tries to claim that she’s won, but this is after she has claimed that every living character and half of the dead characters are the killers.”

The slightly croggled look on Adrien’s face melted to a smile.“And then?”

“And then I bonk her in the nose with a handful of popcorn, of course.”

“Oh, boy.”

“Anyway, I think that I got most of cleaned up this morning, but — yeah — keep your eyes peeled.”

Adrien let his gaze drift slowly around the room.“It is so weird to see this room now that Chloe has fully moved in.It couldn’t be more different than her suite at the Grand Paris,but it is still so Chloe.”

Marinette nodded.“It might be more Chloe, somehow.But, yeah, that struck me too.”

Kagami walked over to the window, drawn as if by a string. “These orchids are beautiful!”

Marinette smiled.“They are.I’ve tried growing orchids before but never with much luck. Chloe has the knack.I’ve learned that she is awoman of many secrets.”

“I’m sure she is,” Kagami muttered under her breath.“Adrien, find some music while Marinette shows me around?”

“Of course!I’m curious to see what Chloe has added to her playlist!”

“Excellent!Marinette?Can we start with the kitchen?”

“One second.I’ll just send a quick message to Jean.We have breakfast on the way, but I want to be sure that they enough for the four of us.”

“Seriously, we don’t need food—“

“Do not start with me either of you.I can tell you exactly how much weight you’ve both lost, or at least how much your measurements have changed.I understand that you came by to visit with Chloe, but you can eat while you talk.”Marinette finished typing and nodded to Kagami.“Done.Kitchen first?”

“Sounds good!Is Chloe a secret chef as well?

“Tragically not.Well.I guess it is only a tragedy when she tries.”

“This kitchen is amazing, though!”

“It is.And Chloe is determined to learn, so I’m sure that before too long will have the kitchen mastered.She’s a bit scary when she sets her mind to learning something.”

Kagami looked over her shoulder to see Adrien busily scrolling through Chloe’s playlist, then turned her gaze back to Marinette.“OK, spill.Are you mad at me?”

“Of course not!Why would you think that!”

“Because that modest gold band on your finger looks more like a wedding band than an engagement right, for one.”

“Ah that.The ring was very recent and very sudden.Um.I guess Chloe and I are very recent and very sudden, depending on who you ask.But if you were to check out the conference room table in Chloe’s office downstairs, you’d find an announcement and party invitation with your name on it ready to go out with Monday’s mail.”

“Ah.OK.I’d hate it if you were mad at me!”

“Never, Kagami!”

“I’m happy for you both.You make sense together.I was never sure who to picture you with, but Chloe makes sense. Weird sense, but perfect sense.”

Marinette laughed.“It sounds like you’ve thought about this a bit!”

“Well at one point,I thought you were going to suggest that you, Adrien,and I — um — date.”

“How did you pick up on that?I swear, I thought about that for two days at the most!”

“It just seemed like you were hanging on the edge of saying something that you never said. I don’t know.That seemed the obvious thing.So spent days wrestling with that thought.But then you seemed to just step back, and suddenly I was dating Adrien.”

Marinette sighed.“Yeah.It just seemed like a broken idea.I think I really needed to be in a situation where I was getting a lot of energy back.And you two were in a situation where you needed to learn how to open up.Plus — oh, I dunno — two straight girls?Wouldn’t have worked so well.Besides,if we had all dated,then it would have been a mess when it dawned on me that I was gay.”

“Just so you know:if you had suggested it back then, I would have agreed to it.Belated thanks for helping me figure out I’m bi.”

The friends look one another in the eye for a frozen moment and then broke up inlaughter. 

“So, anyway, keep this news close to your chest until you get the invitation, OK?I don’t know the details, but Chloe needs this to be a surprise to certain parties , and I don’t know if she’ll have all of her pieces in place until the invitations are delivered.There was a pretty baroque flow chart on her whiteboard once upon a time.”

Kagami thought for a moment.“She’s screwing her parents over, isn’t she.”

“I think it is more defensive than all that, but if they wind up feeling screwed,that is fine with me!”

“What can they even do?She is an adult.What’s hers is hers.”

“Britney?”

“They wouldn’t!”

Marinette’s smile took on a hard edge.“They can’t.At least not any longer.Why don’t you make sure Adrien isn’t lost in some unicorns and rainbows playlist.Chloe should be home soon , and I need to take care of something before she gets her. ”

Kagami’s eyes widened.“Adrien!Let me see what you’re looking at.”

Marinette giggled and disappeared down the hall toward the bedroom.


	6. Adrien's Problem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is time for Adrien to strike out on his own, but you'd never imagine why.

There are catered breakfasts, and then there are breakfasts catered by one of Europe’s Great Hotels.While a small team worked with great precision in Chloe’s kitchen to prepare omelets, bowls of fresh fruit,and baskets of croissant and bread — still warm from the oven — all laid out in a stunning mixture of precision and speed.

“Mademoiselle, demitasse for you.And for you, monsieur — voila — _Le Chocolat Chaud_.”

“Adrien, how do they know what I drink in the morning?”

Adrien laughed.“It’s magic.If you become known to the hotel, then the hotel knows all.”

“You talk as if the hotel were a living thing.”

“In a weird way, it is.I asked Chloe about it once,and she told me—“

“Let me guess. ‘Don’t be an idiot.’”

At that very moment, Chloe herself swept into the room, ponytail trailing behind her.“Hi, you two!I’ll be right out.If you need anything, just ask Theirry.”She stopped abruptly and looked around the room.“Is Marinette here?”

“Oh, I’m here, alright, Sherlock.”Marinette walked into the room,now wearing black leggings and rolling up the faded yellow sleeves of her time-worn hoodie as she went.”

Chloe beamed.“Well, if it isn’t the sore loser.”

“Don’t think for a moment that I won’t sacrifice a croissant for the cause, Bourgeois.You know how good my aim is.Now scoot.I’ve got everything laid out for your shower.”

Chloe laughed and left the room, but only a few seconds later, her blond head and bare shoulder appeared from around the corner.“The candles are a really nice touch, Marinette.Thank you!Um.Can you come here for a second and help me reach something in the closet?”

As Marinette went to help Chloe, Kagami turned to Adrien.“I love this song!Turn it up for me?”

“Sure.Do you think I should go help Chloe?I’m good at getting things down from high shelves.”

“You know Chloe.She likes to do things her way.I’m sure if she needs your help, she’ll ask.”

~~~

Hours later, the food consumed and the caterers having gone, Chloe fixed her gaze on Adrien.“Time to spill, Adrien.You don’t just show up at my door first thing in the morning unless you’ve got something on your mind.”

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.“Things are a bit of a mess.Father has a new executive assistant.”

“What happened to Natalie?”Marinette leaned in with a surprised look on her face. “She’s been with your father forever, no?”

“You’re right, but she’s had problems with her health.A few months ago,she had to quit working.In fact, the last I heard, she was in hospital.Father said she was too sick for visitors.”

“That’s horrible. “

“Well, it gets worse.The new assistant is our old friend Lila Rossi.”Adrien buried his face in his hands before looking at Marinette.“I owe you an apology.I thought that Lila would just fizzle out if we ignored her.Clearly,she didn’t.But even if that were true, I should have stood with you.I’m sorry.”

Marinette sat quietly for a moment before replying.“You believed me back then, Adrien, and that meant a lot to me.There weren’t many people who did.But I’d be lying if I said it didn’t hurt when you refused to stand up for me.”Marinette sighed.“I’ve thought about this a lot.I think that you did the best that you could at the time.I know that you meant well.You always mean well, and that matters for something in this world.So apology accepted.But next time, be there for a girl, OK?”

“I will be.”

“How is it that I never heard about this loss of honor?” interjected Kagami.

“I didn’t really see what I’d done to Marinette.I didn’t see how I had failed her.”

“We will talk about this later. At length.”

Adrien nodded, his hand returning to the back of his neck.

Kagami leaned toward him, her hand seeking his shoulder.“You know that I love you, right?”

Adrien covered her hand with his.“I do.”

Kagami leaned back in her chair.“What a fucking mess.”

“How the hell did Lila get kind of position?I wasn’t even sure that she was still in Paris,” said Marinette.

“She’s been around.She convinced her mother that all of the trouble at Francoise Dupont came about because she had been bullied. So instead of _lycée,_ she’s just had private tutors.But if you spend time in the right part of town, you’ll trip over her and her two Nazgul.”

Marinette giggle. “I shouldn’t laugh but —“

“Wait, wait, Nazgul?”Kagami looked confused.

“Cesaire and Sabrina.”

“How do you even know about this, Chloe?” Marinette asked.

“Cesaire is easy.If you wind her up a bit, she is a font of information.And when I see her, I can’t help but wind her up.”

“Amazing how Lila targetted you both and wound up with your friends.”Kagami paused.“Or whatever Sabrina was to you, Chloe.I never really knew.”

“I don’t know either.Sabrina’s story isn’t mine to tell, but I wasn’t even much of a person then.I spent most of my energy pushing people away before they could leave me.Or pushing them just to see how much they would take.I know from the outside, it must have seemed very loud and angry, but to me, it felt so still and silent and hopeless.You read about old wooden sailing ships trapped mid-ocean by still air.Just the creaking hull to disturb the fog.My worst days were like that.”

“And the better days?”

Chloe turned, her gaze settling deep in Marinette’s eyes.“On the better days I could see a light through the fog, and so there was hope.”

“I always saw you, Chloe.Even on your worst days.And I may not have understood what I was fighting for or why I was fighting, but I was always ready to fight for you,” said Marinette.

Chloe cupped Marinette’s face in her hand and drew her for a slow kiss.“I’ll never be able to say how much I love you.”

“Silly.You tell me in a million ways every day.I love you too.”

“I’m am so confused,” said Adrien, setting Marinette and Kagami to giggles.

“Chloe, would you please put Adrien out of his misery?”

Chloe checked the polish on her nails for effect, then leaned in toward Adrien.“Adrien, you know how you are bad at keeping secrets?”

“Wha—I’m great at keeping secrets!”

“You are great at keeping some secrets.But you are also the ruiner of surprises.”

“I am not!”

Chloe didn’t say a word.She merely cocked an eyebrow and stared Adrien down.

“Fine.Fine, I will admit that I have leaked a few surprises.A few!”

“A few that you know of.You leak, Agreste.But here’s the thing.I’m firewalling my family off from my assets, and if this particular secret leaks, then I’ll lose everything.So however happy the secret is, you have got to keep it to yourself until there is a public announcement.”

Adrien sobered instantly.“Of course, Chloe.”

“If they are your assets, where is the risk?” Kagami asked.

“It is complex.Historically, assets were considered family assets.They might be passed on to certain family members for stewardship, but the head of the family traditionally had some claim on them.In terms of modern law, it is a bit of a mess, but Icut out the rest of the family.It just takes a bit of work, especially if I want to do it without them getting wind of it.”

“What happens if they find out?”

“They can tie me up in court for a while.I’ll win, but the assets will be in limbo during the fight.Or they can try to pull me and my assets under their guardianship.Or I could suffer an accident, and the assets would revert.I mean, that is what they’d expect, but they would be wrong.Everything is just a lot cleaner and a lot easier if they don’t find out that they’ve been cut out until everything has been finalized.”

Adrien looked puzzled.“Why do you think I’d tell anyone about your legal dealings?”

“You wouldn’t.But you might tell someone that Marinette and I are married.And my parents are shrewd enough to connect the dots from there.”

“I didn’t even know that you were dating!”

“Mention that to my mother the next time you stop for cookies, Adrien,” Marinette said with an evil gleam in her eye. 

Chloe laughed.“It was all very fast, Adrien.Or a long time coming.”Chloe shrugged.“If you count from our first kiss, it was a matter of days.Anyway.Nothing to anyone, OK?”

“Sure.And congratulations!There will be a party, right?There has to be a party.”

“Watch your mail this week.But silence until then.”

Adrien mimed turning a key at his lips.

“OK.Back to the matter at hand,” said Chloe.“Lila is a horror show, but what specifically is the problem?Your father is a big boy.”

“I’m less worried about Father, though she does seem to have him in her sway.But typical Lila games have started.I’ve been finding things hidden in my room, for example.”

“What kind of things?”

“Lacy, satiny unmentionable things.Hidden in the sheets at the foot of my bed things.Lord alone knows what other sorts of things.”

A hard look flashed across Marinette’s face.“You need to get the hell out of that house.”

Chloe cocked an eyebrow and looked at Adrien and Kagami.“That doesn’t seem like a difficult solution?Or an unpleasant solution?”

Kagami placed a hand on Adrien’s knee.“We still could.There is room in my townhouse.”

Adrien sighed.“No.We’ve gone over this and you know we can’t do that.”He looked up at Chloe.“The difficult bit is that Kagami and I are breaking up.She’s already been settling —“

“I really hate that word, Adrien.”

“—settling for a long time.Moving in together would just compound things.”

“I thought things were going great for you two!” Marinette said.

“They are,” replied Kagami, “but I think what we built after years of really hard work is something that looks a lot more like a friendship.”

Adrien nodded.“Our relationship is a warm, safe, comfortable place.”

Chloe nodded and finished the thought: “But eventually, you need to get out in the cold world and find your future.”

“Yeah.That.”

Chloe pulled out her phone and started scrolling.“No, no, no, absolutely not—maybe?Here, Adrien, what do you think of this?The entire building needs to be renovated, but there should be at least one solid suite.Can you handle a very plain space?And the noise of renovation around you?We can shift you as soon as one of the other suites is upgraded.”

“What are all of these buildings?”

“They are mine.I’ve got a handful of old, sad buildings scattered around Paris.Assets, remember?Hmm.I’m assuming you are broke, right?”

“My mother left me money,but it is tied up until we know what happened to her.”

“What about all of the work you’ve done as a model?”

“That won’t be released to me until next year.I think I could take Father to court, but I can’t imagine that I’d see the money until next year at the earliest if I did that.And it would make a mess.”

Chloe crossed her arms and frowned.“Let me guess.There is no money for University if you leave the fold, is there.”

“It doesn’t sound like it.If I stay at home and continue to model, then everything is paid for.Otherwise, I’m on my own.That would have been tolerable before Lila.”

“Ridiculous.Simply Ridiculous.We’ll stop by my office before you leave and get you the key to your new home.I’ll need to make some calls Monday morning so that the workers know you’ll be living there.Do you have a bank account that your father can’t touch?I’ll wire you funds for living and University.”

“Actually, I don’t.”

“Chloe, don’t worry about that part,” said Kagami.“I’ll take Adrien to our bank Monday morning and make sure that he is fully and discretely set up.”

“I can’t let you two just give me all of that money.”

“Maybe you won’t be my husband, Adrien, but you will always be family.Besides, what good is it to be an heiress if I don’t put my money to work.”

And so it was that Adrien Agreste stepped into the world on his own, and darkness fully consumed Agreste Manor.


	7. The swimmer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One last bit of table-setting, one last bit of light. I hope you enjoy it because things will get dark from here on out.

Stroke by stroke, lap after lap, Kagami slipped through the water.Slowly.Relentlessly.Stroke and breathe, then tuck, flip, push, twist, and back to it in the other direction. And eventually, as the rhythm settled all the way into her bones, Kagami felt her tension release.It had been a hard few weeks, with a constant reminder that doing the right thing is so often hard. _I could just let every day chip away a bit moreof me and it would feel better than change._ The thought gnawed at her.She was the type to read situations in an instant and take care of business.It made her a formidable heir to her family’s business.It made her a fierce fencer.Why then was letting go of Adrien so hard?

She took extra air and dolphin-kicked the length of the lane.She was deloading, her training cycle biased heavily toward rest and recovery, and she hated it.She hated the surplus energy.She hated the extra time in her schedule.Even more, she hated how much she needed it, how her guard had gotten a hair sloppy, her ripostes a touch slow, her footwork unsure.Tuck, flip, push, and twist.So much of her life felt suspended.Newly single, she felt the pull of all she had aside for the past years. _How the hell do I fix that?How the hell does a person even date?_ No idea.She was 100% dedicated to making the national team and reaching the Olympics — to medaling.She didn’t have time for University right now.When exactly was she supposed to find someone at all, let alone find someone who understood how absent she’d have to be.How regimented.How tired.

Even Ladybug’s project amounted to waiting:waiting to be seen at lunch with Chloe; wait for Hawkmoth to make his move; waiting for Mayura to provide an opening.True, lunches with Chloe had proved a pleasant surprise.Kagami kicked herself internally for not looking past the surface with Chloe.But it wasn’t fair.Marinette in her ivory camisole.Chloe in that cashmere sweater.Both radiating sexual energy.It was enough to make Kagami want to tap out. 

She reached the end of the lane, planted her hands, and vaulted out of the water.For all those laps,she felt as frazzled as she had before the swim.She took off her cap and goggles, toweled off, and looked back toward the pool. _Wow._ The thing about elite athletes is this:when you see them in person, with a very human frame of reference, it is immediately clear that they are performing at another level.And there, in lane 4, was someone who left Kagami thinking that whatever it was she had just been doing was not swimming at all.Drowning avoidance, perhaps.A very slow flail.Certainly not what she was now watching.An effortless translating to speed that Kagami could not begin to achieve with her best effort. _Shit, that is impressive._

All too soon, the swimmer pulled to a stop and joined Kagami at the foot of the pool.

“I’d kill for that v-taper.”

The girl — the swimmer was very clearly a girl —laughed out loud.

“I said that out loud, didn’t I?” said Kagami.

“You did.And you seem to be doing just fine in the v-taper department.Just leaner version.”She pulled off her goggle and caps to reveal short red hair and stunning teal eyes.

“Oh!Ondine, right?I met you a few times at Kitty Section gigs.I’m Kagami.”

“I remember.”A broad smile blossomed on Ondine’s face.“You were with Adrien.Are you two still together?”

“No.I mean, we are very close, but not so much romantically anymore.Are you still with Kim?”

Ondine rolled her eyes.“Not for a long time.He was pretty but kind of hopeless.I’ve pretty much decided that guys are just generally hopeless.Besides, I’m trying to crack the National Team, so no real time to date civilians anyway.”

Kagami nodded.“I know exactly what you mean.So why are you swimming here?Don’t you all train at that big new natatorium?”

Ondine sighed and ran her towel through her hair.“The lovely natatorium has a lovely leak in its lovely roof.My agent knows the owner here, so I’ve been checking it out.Good pool.Pretty quiet.It is a long commute from my parent’s house, but it will do for now.I tried to peek in the salle once, but it felt a bit scary.”

“Not the best place to watch, no.It is a great place to train, though.”

“So, do you know a good place to eat around here?I think I need to eat before I try the cross-town commute.Sometimes I feel like all I do is swim, sleep, and eat.”

Their eyes locked, and Kagami felt a pull of the sort that she’d never felt before.Not even back when she first met Adrien.“I know the best place.”

Ondine’s grin broadened, and her eyes ghosted over Kagami’s body.“Well?Don’t make a girl wait.”

Kagami laughed.“My townhouse is a block away.Since my primary focus is training, I thought it would be smart to live close by.I’d love to have you for lunch.”

Ondine cocked an eyebrow.

“Over!I’d love to have you over for lunch!”

Ondine laughed.“Let’s start with food.”

“I’m kind of mortified.”

“Don’t be.”Ondine paused.Why did it always have to be so awkward when it should be the easiest thing?“Look, Kagami, I’m just going to say this.You aren’t crazy.I feel this too.Feed me first, and then let’s see where the afternoon takes us.Sound good?”

Kagami smiled.“Sounds perfect.”


End file.
